Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

I've just decided that today is the first day of the rest of my life. If it's not to much to ask, may I join your thread?

HELLO EVERYONE !
I JUST JOINED .SO FAR SO GOOD ! LOST 7 LBS IN LAST TWO WEEKS! 1LB SO FAR THIS WEEK ! I HAVE 52 LBS. TO GO !! TAKING IT ONE DAY AT A TIME !! THANKS ROBIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN YOUR THREAD !!!GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

GWEN FROM ILLINOIS

Saturday share: I woke up this morning and was looking at my profile in the mirror. Today I noticed my stomach didn't seem to stick out as far as it usually does. My NSV for this week is I have discovered that I now officially have more than 3 pairs of dress pants that I can wear to work. Oh yes, that is right. My pants that were once difficult to button and gave me horrible muffin top now close easily. It was nice this week being able to wear different pants to work rather than the same old thing. Over the summer I bought a pair of "capris" from the Gap online. When they arrived I noticed they were not true capris but just pants that were rolled up on the bottom :grumble: Not only were they not what I expected they also didn't fit. I was so frustrated and instead of going to the Gap to return them (which mind you was only a block away from where I worked and could have easily walked there on my lunch break) I did the most logical thing and threw them in the back of my closet. Last week I was going through some things and decided to try them on. I still cannot get them to zipper and button but I am almost there. I am guessing by the end of January beginning of February they should fit.

Gratitude: I have a few today.

I am excited because today our local fire department has their Santa parade. For the parade they decorate the fire trucks and drive around all the neighborhoods that they cover. The last truck to come around is an old style truck that has Santa sitting on the back of it. I will be out there with my husband taking pictures. I am grateful to all the volunteer firefighters who devote their time to keep us safe and to do special events such as this for the community.

Yesterday when I was at my little guy's house the babysitter gave me a card and gift from his parents. (I typically don't see them on Friday's because my hours are earlier because his Speech teacher comes after me) His father wrote the card this year and had the nicest things to say to me. He thanked me for my dedication to their little man (I've been working with him for 2 years now), how they consider me part of their family and that they are so grateful for everything I do for their son. The words in the card meant so much more to me than the gift itself. It is really nice to get feedback from the parents and know that all your hard work is appreciated. I am grateful for them letting me know.

Yesterday while I was there I saw a Santa hat on the kitchen counter. I threw it on my student's head and kept calling him Santa. His oldest sister (who is in grad school for Speech Therapy) came into our session and was cracking up at how adorable he looked. We then "tortured" him by making him pose while his sister took photos of him. Later on he discovered if he wiggled his head quickly in a "no" movement he could hit me with the pom pom on his hat. He did this a few times before I responded with a "Are you hitting me with your hat? What's going on with that?" He burst out laughing then did it even more. Even though he is non-verbal he understands everything I say. It was great yesterday that he was being a little stinker and very playful. I love when he is like that. I am grateful to get to work with such a wonderful child and outstanding family.

Reading through the old posts and wanted to say thank you to everyone who wished me well on my observation. I appreciate the support.

Kaye - GS's Christmas program sounds like it was really cute. Did everyone laugh when he would not give his carrot nose to the bunny? I love when the little ones do funny things like that. So adorable.

Forgive me for not knowing but what is the pedaler? What yoga DVD are you doing? I am looking for a good yoga DVD. I have some older VHS yoga workouts. I am wondering if I should update them to DVD or just go with a newer yoga dvd.

kah- I have never tried the caramel sea salt ones before. Usually I go for the peppermint ones. I now am torn between which ones I like better. I was good yesterday and didn't eat any. I think because I was so busy during the day.

I can completely relate to what you said about Zoe. Before I adopted Harvest Moon, I was a dog person. She entered my life and it has not been the same since. 4 years later I adopted Misti. I get such a kick out of them. Misti is my cuddler, she will climb into your lap or sit on your chest and purr in anticipation of being pet. Moo (Harvest Moon) is affectionate but on her own terms. She often follows me and meows at me until I pick her up. She wants to be held for 2-3 minutes then is off doing her own thing. She is my smart, clever and funny cat. As a kitten, she learned to sit on command! The other day she kept chasing me and wrapping her legs around my ankle and kept trying to get me to play with her. It was the cutest thing ever.

That Tazo Refresh tea sounds really good. I am going to have to try it. Is that something they have all year long or just around the holidays? I've never tried the Celestial Seasoning candy cane tea. But I have tried Biglow and Twinnings peppermint teas and they are really tasty.

Mel - I am so sorry to hear about your roof leak. I hope by now it is fixed. I completely understand how frustrating it is with leaks. Our first Christmas in our house our pipes burst and we had a pretty bad flood - 3 days before Christmas. :noway: Then just last week our dishwasher leaked and another flood, on our brand new carpet. :noway: I hope things get sorted out with your insurance company and it is a hassle free claim. Keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers as your husband receives treatment.

jtconst- LOL I am a half-hearted housekeeper too. Hence why yesterday I was doing a mad rush cleaning before I went to work. I ended up closing the door to my bedroom because I had a ton of laundry still to fold and put away. My company never knew how messy it really was behind those closed doors. That is great that you are doing the loops with bursts of jogging! Keep up the great work!

Toots - I peppermint bark. I keep dropping hints to my husband to buy me a tin for Christmas. I don't know if he has picked up on my bluntness of dog earring the pages in the catalogs and leaving them open on his desk. But a gal can hope. I also really like peppermint tea, I find it very refreshing to drink at the end of a long day. Another downfall is hot cocoa. But not just any hot cocoa. I drop a peppermint patty mini into the cocoa and let it melt while mixing. So so so freaking yummy!!!!

Susan - I like your positive outlook! That cheesecake sounded delish!

Laurie - I think it was wise to listen to your body. At least that is what my internal monologue says to justify when I take a much needed night off from exercise. I agree with what you said about the Christmas lights. It is so nice driving home and seeing all the houses lit up. I am sad that all of that will disappear shortly.

Vicki - I am with you on the peppermint addiction! This isn't a candy cane but here is a flower for you. LOL :flowerforyou:

Skinny - I KNOW!!! I was speaking to my student's day time teacher. She said unfortunately that is how it is with this one admin. It is so sad. Meanwhile the end of October the SpEd department head came in to observe my student teacher and ended up observing me as well. She stayed for a long time and participated in the activities with the children. It was so nice to have her as part of our classroom for the hour. Sadly, she has since retired from her position. I actually love when someone gives me feedback on what I am doing with my students. I have a lot of experience in my field but that doesn't mean I cannot learn a thing or two. Just a few days ago I was discussing with one of the daytime teachers a behavior I was having with a student. She gave me some pointers of what she does in her classroom with that behavior. I implemented them in my room and it helped significantly.

Amy and Gwen - Welcome! Just jump right in and join us.

@kelley--good luck with the shopping; I'll be doing some today as well. Fortunately, I only need to buy for my niece b/c our family agreed we would just get her presents. I'm also going to the hairdresser on Monday so will get my stylist a gift. She loves the Chicago Blackhawks so I'm going to see if I can find her something Hawks related at TJ Maxx. My goal is to avoid the big malls until after the holiday.

@gwen--welcome! I'm from Chicago-where in IL are you?

@kaye--sorry you have more snow coming. We have a mix of rain and sleet today--not looking forward to driving in this.

@amy--welcome! :flowerforyou:

@laurie--Yes, the kids were crazy, and yesterday went by so slowly! Couldn't wait for that last bell to ring.

@michelle--I also have a hard time with the fruits and veggies spoiling. One trick I have is that I buy baby spinach instead of lettuce for salads. Then after a couple of days of fresh salads, I can cook the rest of the spinach before it goes bad. Also, I thought it was funny that you are self-conscious about potential grammar errors--someone else (I think it was tammy) said the same thing awhile back. Honestly, I don't really care about errors in posts--it's like when I grade my students journals--I just ignore it b/c it's not formal writing. The only mistakes that bother me are my own--I'm much harsher on myself than I am on others. :laugh:

@nettie--sorry the gift for your student didn't arrive on time--that stinks. :grumble: I know what you mean about the "new" muscles. I had that same experience when I started running.

@ohio--that's a great goal!

@alupinsk--sorry about that injury; just take it easy and it will heal quickly.

I'm not sure it can be reported as a success, but I have made a decision about the next few days to take the pressure off. I'm not going to log for a few days. I'll still be here and I will be watching what I eat, but I'm just going to take it easy on myself.
GS did get a laugh when he held onto the carrot. I said something the other day about being retired and he informed me that I should get another job. He didn't know what to say when I asked him who would take care of him if I had a job. He is here to help me decorate the tree while his parents finish up their Christmas shopping. They are picking up some things for me, too, so I won't have to go.
The pedaler is just a set of pedals on a frame that sits on the floor so I can pedal while sitting on a chair. It is cheaper and takes less space than a stationary bike. My yoga DVD is a Strong seniors video. It takes about 30 min. Would probably be too easy for you younger gals but is great for me.
Well, I'm off to decorate the tree.
Have a great day. Onward and downward. Kaye

Hey guys! Looks like most are having a productive weekend.

Saturday Success:
I did okay with food. A few junky choices, but I stayed under calories. Also, lifted and did cardio today, so that's something. I got a bunch of adorable clothes for my niece at TJ Maxx. One item is the most adorable Nicole Miller outfit--I don't think I've even ever bought anything for myself by that designer, but it was too cute to pass up and a decent price considering the "label." :laugh: I will give her some of the clothes for Christmas and save the rest for her 2nd birthday in a few weeks. Also picked up a couple of books for her.

I didn't find anything for my hairdresser, but I can always give her cash if I don't find something I think she'll really like.

Gunner got a very short walk--it was warm but way too slippery to go far. I think it's a good thing we didn't overdo it--he's been lethargic with a drippy nose and goopy eyes today, so pretty sure he's got a cold. Poor baby. Tonight we are getting a nasty mix of rain and sleet. :grumble: I hate winter. At least the days will start getting longer again now.

Today I'm thankful for garetie. She and I have been friends for about 20 years now. I've tried calling her twice this week, and I know she lurks on this thread sometimes, so this is my "sneaky" attempt to get in touch with her. :laugh:

Grading goals:
I'm giving myself one more day off before I list these.

Exercise goals:
Mon--nada
Tues--nada
Wed--walk gunner DONE + gym (lift and HIIT) DONE
Thurs--rest day (holiday party)
Fri--probably nothing (we usually go out for drinks before break)
Sat--walk gunner DONE + gym (lift and HIIT) DONE
Sun--walk gunner + gym (cardio)

Exercise & Weight:
Bench press = 85
Dead lift = 90
Squat = 90
Overhead press = 55
Upright row = 60

Overhead tricep extension = 25 (dumbbell)
Bicep curl = 15 (dumbbell)
Lat pull down = 100
Tricep pull down = 90

bump

Sunday Share: I ended up missing the Santa parade yesterday. The parade was put on hold 1/2 way through because of a house fire. Brian and I hung around the house and waited for 2.5 hours but I was getting antsy. I decided we should just go out, get our errands done and visit my parents. After the fire was put out, the exhausted firefighters went on with the parade! I was surprised as they were at the fire for quite a few hours. Unfortunately we were not home in time and missed it. It's all good though, we had a nice visit with my parents. Last night, I was extremely disheartened while reading some of the posts on my community's facebook page as well as the fire department's page. Throughout the day one of the captain's wives kept posting and informing the community on what was going on. Not only did she do that, but she had also posted the exact route the fire trucks would be following with turn by turn directions. This was posted and cross posted several times over the past few weeks. She did this as a courtesy to the community. Last night people had the audacity to complain about yesterday's events. Some of the complains I read were that the parade was interrupted and it ruined their plans (UHM there was a house fire and a family lost their entire house a few days before Christmas- get over yourselves), their child had to wait 6 hours for Santa (again due to an unforeseen and unfortunate circumstance. It's unfortunate children were left waiting and disappointed. However there was a family in desperate need to save their home.), the trucks didn't come down their block (The exact route was posted with turn by turn directions prior to the event - they should have planned accordingly and walked a block over to where they trucks were. How lazy can you be?), how disappointed they were with the FD's job for the parade and that they wasted their time waiting around (They are VOLUNTEERS giving a bit of themselves to the community. This is not something that they are obligated to do). Needless to say I am very disappointed with quite a few members of my community poor attitudes. Where has everyone's compassion and understanding gone?

I would like to do my Wednesday wish today. I wish people could be more understanding and compassionate. I wish people didn't have self-centered "ME ME ME" attitudes. I wish people actually appreciated all the good that others do when volunteering their time.

I would also like to do a Thursday Truth: I was very naughty last night. I made a delicious garlic parmesean pull apart bread. I ate my allotted portion with dinner. However it was so yummy that throughout the night I kept pulling off "just one more little bite". I am not quire sure how much of it I actually ate but I know it was a lot. There is only a tiny bit of it left this morning. It definitely put me over my calories for yesterday. OOPS. :blushing:

Robin - Thank you! Sounds like you had a great time with your friend. What a nice surprise visit.

Tlh - I am sorry to hear that things didn't go as planned with the paperwork. You are funny. :laugh:

I need to get off MFP and go work off some of that pull apart bread.
I hope everyone has a fantastic day today. :flowerforyou:

actually have a tiny bit of energy this morning so i am going to the gym instead of going to church
other than that I am seriously thinking of taking up drinking so i can stop eating all the good things my daughter keeps making :mad:

Hey guys! Looks like most are having a productive weekend.

Saturday Success:
I did okay with food. A few junky choices, but I stayed under calories. Also, lifted and did cardio today, so that's something. I got a bunch of adorable clothes for my niece at TJ Maxx. One item is the most adorable Nicole Miller outfit--I don't think I've even ever bought anything for myself by that designer, but it was too cute to pass up and a decent price considering the "label." :laugh: I will give her some of the clothes for Christmas and save the rest for her 2nd birthday in a few weeks. Also picked up a couple of books for her.

I didn't find anything for my hairdresser, but I can always give her cash if I don't find something I think she'll really like.

Gunner got a very short walk--it was warm but way too slippery to go far. I think it's a good thing we didn't overdo it--he's been lethargic with a drippy nose and goopy eyes today, so pretty sure he's got a cold. Poor baby. Tonight we are getting a nasty mix of rain and sleet. :grumble: I hate winter. At least the days will start getting longer again now.

Today I'm thankful for garetie. She and I have been friends for about 20 years now. I've tried calling her twice this week, and I know she lurks on this thread sometimes, so this is my "sneaky" attempt to get in touch with her. :laugh:

Grading goals:
I'm giving myself one more day off before I list these.

Exercise goals:
Mon--nada
Tues--nada
Wed--walk gunner DONE + gym (lift and HIIT) DONE
Thurs--rest day (holiday party)
Fri--probably nothing (we usually go out for drinks before break)
Sat--walk gunner DONE + gym (lift and HIIT) DONE
Sun--walk gunner + gym (cardio)

Exercise & Weight:
Bench press = 85
Dead lift = 90
Squat = 90
Overhead press = 55
Upright row = 60

Overhead tricep extension = 25 (dumbbell)
Bicep curl = 15 (dumbbell)
Lat pull down = 100
Tricep pull down = 90

WOW!! super impressive lifting especially the bench press at 85 lbs. I just started lifting and am using the SL's program and right now after a couple weeks, I can only bench press 65 lbs which feels heavy enough without failure. I'll probably be stuck at 65 lbs for awhile on both bench and OHP but your gains are awesome. Great job!

I began my commitment to changing my eating habits and exercise on Nov. 20, 2013. To date I have lost 13 pounds. It seems so insignificant compared to the amount of weight I need to lose. I am happy, but it is getting hard now that Christmas is approaching. I made it through Thanksgiving but Christmas is seeming harder. I am thinking of allowing myself 1 day to mildly indulge. No more than 1800 calories and I will have to make that up in exercise. Anyone having a hard time with Christmas?

@anewlife--thanks for the great reminder about not letting food have power over us--I agree with you 100%. I do best with my eating when I view food as fuel for my workouts and daily life--that's easy to forget at this time of year with all of the goodies around.

@bonmomi--there's nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile--it's the day to day that matters. Also, if you're burning off the excess with exercise, it shouldn't really have an affect on your weight loss. Yes, it's possible the extra sodium could cause a slight rise on the scale, but that shouldn't last. For me, the bigger danger is to deprive myself of everything and then get frustrated and give up altogether.

@alupinsk--I've read intermittent fasting can be good for the metabolism; however, don't go crazy. I did it for 3 days right before I joined MFP, and feel the psychological benefits far outweigh the physical. It can give you back a sense of control and teach you what true hunger feels like. I really needed it b/c I'm a "boredom" eater. Fasting taught me to tell when my body really requires food vs. craving something out of boredom.

@ayankeefan--Thanks! I'm also doing an SL style program--started 5x5 in September and just recently switched to 3x5 b/c I was "stuck" especially on OHP. That one is, by far, the toughest lift for me. There are a couple of other heavy lifters who post in this thread who make me look like the "wimpy kid" of the group, but I know I will continue to improve if I keep at it. Good luck!

@robin--thanks, gunner seems to be doing better today--and YES it is one big, drippy nose! :laugh: Hope your hair-coloring task goes well.

@kareleona--your post made me LOL! :laugh: Too bad alcohol also has calories. :ohwell:

@nettie--what a shame that people are so thankless to your volunteer fire fighters! It makes me angry when people are so selfish! :explode: I don't know that I could have resisted that pull-apart bread either--it sounds delicious!

@kelley--thanks for the suggestion about the wine. Unfortunately, my hairdresser doesn't drink--that would make it so much easier. :ohwell: Pretty sure she's just getting cash or a gift card since my appt is tomorrow and I still haven't gotten her anything. My sister works in the same shop, and I know from her experience she would much rather have cash than something she may not like or use.

@sherrie!!--welcome back!! :flowerforyou:

@susan--I'm with you--looking forward to christmas, but also to getting back to my normal healthy eating.

Sunday Share:
Today was a lazy day for me. Did some cleaning around the house and got all of my holiday cards ready to mail out tomorrow. Afterwards, I helped the DH shovel some snow--it didn't take too long, but it was a good, quick workout. Tonorrow, I'm planning to head to the gym, wrap presents, and then head to the salon in the afternoon.

Grading goals:
notyetnotyetnotyetnotyetnotyetnotyetnotyetnotyet

Exercise goals:
Mon--nada
Tues--nada
Wed--walk gunner DONE + gym (lift and HIIT) DONE
Thurs--rest day (holiday party)
Fri--probably nothing (we usually go out for drinks before break)
Sat--walk gunner DONE + gym (lift and HIIT) DONE
Sun--walk gunner NOT DONE + gym (cardio) NOT DONE (shoveled instead)

Exercise & Weight:
Bench press = 85
Dead lift = 90
Squat = 90
Overhead press = 55
Upright row = 60

Overhead tricep extension = 25 (dumbbell)
Bicep curl = 15 (dumbbell)
Lat pull down = 100
Tricep pull down = 90

I thought that not logging for a few days would take some of the pressure off of this week, but now I just feel bad because I know that I haven't eaten well, and I don't know how bad it was. I'm going to have to make an attempt at logging even if it is difficult and ugly at times.
I'm thankful for my grandkids, especially Matthew. He just turned 12, and is such a bright exuberant boy. He would easily pass for 8. His friends call him a miniature kid. He is so cute, and a very good sport. He has something called constitutional growth delay. He probably won't grow much or hit puberty until he is about 16. I am thankful that they live in a small town where everyone knows everyone, and he is just Matthew.
I have the second round of shopping done and most of the wrapping done. I've sure been busy for someone who thought they had Christmas done 3 weeks ago. The tree looks great, but GS was not impressed because it is an artificial tree.
Teachers, enjoy your break. It will be over before you know it.
Have good week. Just keep hanging in there. Kaye

@Alupinsk~There are all kinds of little things that can stall weight loss that we don’t think about. Such as if we are exercising a lot are we eating right to compensate for it (i.e. carbs for fuel or protein for muscle recovery), are we drinking enough water (we really need more than 80oz a day – I drink around 140oz), are we eating foods that are too high in sodium, etc. I can also say from experience that if you are using MFP suggestions for macros, the carbs are too high – MFP sets it at 55%, really it should be more like 40%. Take a look at your journal and see if maybe anything needs to be adjusted. Like Karen suggested, intermittent fasting can jump start a metabolism, I’ve done a 24-hour fast periodically – I’ve done it mainly as a liver detox, so drank a lot of green tea and lemon water. Make sure you do your research first though, to make sure you are giving your body what it needs during that time. I agree with Laurie also, I would start out with walking for a while until your injury is completely healed so you don’t risk further injury.

@bonmomi~congrats on your weight loss so far, great job! I don’t really have a hard time with Christmas per se, but it can be more difficult to make healthy choices when you are bombarded with goodies – you wouldn’t believe the stuff sitting in my office suite right now! :grumble: The trick is to not go overboard and make room in your diet so you can indulge a little. We have to remember it’s just one day – we have to make healthy decisions the rest of the time. So my advice is to eat healthy leading up to the holiday as much as possible and as soon as the holiday has ended get right back to it.

@Robin~How did your hair turn out? I hope you were successful in the color just getting in your hair. White trash is a concoction of cheerios, rice chex, corn chex, pretzels, mixed nuts, and m&ms all mixed with white chocolate – delish and addictive! I figured out the NI one time, it isn’t pretty. I made that in the morning, got it all packaged up for co-workers and then made fudge for my boss in the afternoon (takes 15 minutes to cook and about 2-hours to harden). Tonight is round 2 of the fudge, my dad’s only request from me every Christmas. :happy:

@Laurie~Glad you’re getting your trainer hooked on climbing. Enjoy breakfast with your friend this morning.

@Lives2Travel~Great gratitude for today and so true, we often take so much for granted.

AFM~It was a good weekend of shopping, seeing friends, and baking a little. Had a great workout with my trainer yesterday, too. I actually sat down and figured out the NI of my fudge, which I’ve not done before – it isn’t that bad, just have to limit yourself to a few pieces but it’s so rich that it just takes a piece or two.

Exercise Goals:

Monday~Gym, arc trainer
Christmas Eve~None, gym closes early and headed out of town
Christmas Day~None
Thursday~Gym, training session
Friday~Running w trainer, gym or outside
Saturday~Gym, elliptical most likely
Sunday~Gym, training session

Monday Check in: Brian took his vacation so he would have off the same time as me. We got up early this morning and headed down to the stores near the mall. We wanted to get there early before the stores became too crowded and the traffic starts. I completely forgot to weigh myself this morning then when we came home I ate breakfast. So no weigh in for me. The way the scale has been going all week, I am guessing my weight this morning would have been a small loss or remained the same.

The past two days my calf muscles have been feeling a bit tired. I think it is from the result of working extra hard during one of my cardio sessions a few days ago. My goal for this week is to stay on my Monday - Saturday workout schedule with Sunday as a rest day. I don't know how much logging I will do Tuesday and Wednesday. Tomorrow night we are headed to Brian's uncle's house. I am making my quinoa mac and cheese dish to bring so I have something to eat. Saturday morning we are going over to my mother-in-laws for a brunch (usually microwavable breakfast foods - nothing to brag about) then in the after noon we are going to my parents house. I am making tomato and mozzarella, a salad, pignoli cookies and bought some rainbow cookies to bring. My mom is making me a vegetable polenta dish. I am not worried about food at my in-laws because I usually don't eat for brunch and save my appetite for my parents house. I am going to try my best to eat in moderation at my parents but tomato and mozzarella is my downfall s are the pignoli cookies. :bigsmile: Saturday Brian and I are hosting a post-Christmas celebration. I go all out for that and make a ton of food. It should be a great few days of celebration!

Michelle - I am glad you realize how much logging really does help. As tedious as it can be from time to time, it is a must for me to do. I don't think you will have trouble getting back on track after Christmas passes. We are birthday neighbors. My birthday is only a few weeks after yours.

Robin and skinnyjeanz- I was very vocal on my communities FB page as well as the fire department's page. I kindly reminded those complaining of all the things I wrote about. After I spoke out quite a few people jumped on board. I just cannot stand how selfish and self-centered people have become. It drives me mad. :noway:

Robin - I am coloring my hair today too. I picked up a box of color over the weekend. I planned on coloring it Sunday but I never got around to it. I know EXACTLY what you mean about it getting everywhere. I have the same problem. All along I thought I was the only one who had this problem. I am glad to know I am not alone. I end up putting on old clothes and jumping into the shower to apply it so it doesn't get all over my walls and sink. The shower is so much easier for me to clean when I am done. :laugh:

Alupinsk - I am sorry that you are struggling and injured yourself. Can you go for a walk, try some yoga or lift some weights until you are able to go running again?

Karen - Yippie for some extra energy. I love that feeling.

Bonmomi - Congrats on the loss. I would focus on what you have accomplished so far compared on how much further you have to go. According to FitBit I still have to lose 110 lbs to reach my goal. If I focused on that number every day I would drive myself insane. I am not having too hard of a time with Christmas. The real test for me will be Wednesday and then again on Saturday. I am not going to worry too much about it and focus on having a good time with my family and friends. 2 days out of the entire picture won't throw me off course too much.

anewlife4me - I know exactly what you mean as using food as a comfort. I agree with what you said 100%.

Laurie - I am glad your trainer and her daughter enjoyed climbing. What are Earth Treks?

GrandmaKaye - Your grandson sounds like a great kid! I can relate about thinking you were all ready for Christmas. I had to run out this morning to get 2 more gifts that I forgot.

Lives2Travel - That's my kind of day. I love spending the day cooking for my loved ones. I get so much joy out of feeding them delicious food. I really enjoyed reading your gratitude. Thanks for the reminder of how fortunate we really are.

Kah - the white trash sounds scrumptious as well as the fudge. I saw a recipe posted on FB for fudge that I reposted because I wanted to try making it. My mom asked if I minded if she made it. I brought her over all my Christmas cookie cutters and told her to go for it. I am excited to try them for Christmas. I hope it was a good recipe.